One Congress and 2 MNS corporators join BJP in Mumbai

After several corporators from various political parties formally joined the Shiv Sena recently, three corporators from Congress and MNS defected and joined the BJP on Saturday.

Among those who joined the BJP was Dahisar MNS corporator Prakash Darekar.

Ahead of the 2017 BMC elections, political parties have stepped up their strategy and are going all out to rope-in possible winning candidates from other parties.

On Saturday, Congress corporator Kesarben Patel from K/East ward, MNS corporators Sukhada Pawar (H/East) and Darekar joined the BJP in a formal ceremony. City BJP chief Ashish Shelar tweeted a picture with the three, thus making the announcement.

The exit of none of the three corporators was a surprise to their parties. It was an open secret about where Darekar’s loyalties lie for quite a while. His former-MLA brother Pravin had left the MNS to join the BJP in the past. Besides, after the recently concluded BMC budget, Darekar had accepted Rs 50 lakh from the BJP’s development fund. That was a clear indication of his defection and it was only a matter of time before he formally joined the BJP.

Commenting on it, Darekar said, “Defections happen in politics over differences. It is a part of the game. My brother was in BJP already. Two brothers cant stay in different parties. I have not been promised a ticket. I’ll carry forward party responsibilities.”

Pawar was expected to join the Sena instead of BJP. Pawar had voted for the Sena in the recently concluded ward council elections, thus sounding the bugle of rebellion. Since she had voted for the Sena, it came as a surprise that she joined BJP on Saturday.

Pawar was not available for comment.

Meanwhile, Patel’s entry into the BJP came as no surprise. “We have a lot of faith in Modiji and that is why she has joined party. She did what is in the interest of the people. She has not been promised a ticket at all. We will both serve the party and if the party gives her the responsibility of contesting elections, she will contest,” Patel’s husband Murji Patel said.